Water is Wonderful in So Many Ways

As a school nurse, I see firsthand the effects of dehydration on our students. The concept of

drinking water is a simple one but an invaluable one too. Many of us do not associate cold

weather with dehydration but it is a significant health concern. Being active in cold weather is

healthy, but sweat evaporates more quickly which can increase the chance of developing

dehydration. Children also suffer from colds, flu and other viruses that deplete the body’s fluid supply.

On that note, I would like to talk about the importance of drinking water and its effects on your children. Children are likely to become dehydrated quicker than adults. Children do not often recognize that they are thirsty; they may confuse thirst with hunger. It is important for parents and caregivers to monitor the amount of water that a child consumes each day. Children under the age of 8 should have 4-6 glasses of water per day, and children older than 8 should drink 6-8 glasses per day.

Here are some signs of dehydration:

• Headaches
• Poor concentration
• Thirst
• Cracked lips
• Dry mouth
• Constipation
• Lethargy
• Dark urine

Here are some tips to help your children stay hydrated:

• Pack a water bottle for school and when you are going out.
• Encourage your child to drink water before and after physical activity.
• Always offer water with snacks and meals.
• Encourage your children to drink water even if they don’t like the taste. (Try adding fruit
  slices or a small amount of fruit juice to improve the taste).
  

The best way that you can encourage your child to drink water is to be a role model! So please make it a point to drink water with your child. It will create a “win-win” situation for everyone! I am always encouraging our students to drink more water- just ask them!

Bradley Gardens Health Office- A SCHOOL NURSE IN THE KNOW!

The beginning of this year brought on many wonderful resolutions from our students. In addition to academic goals, many Bradley students resolve to make our environment a priority. As a result, our 4th grade cabinet has been working diligently to create our Kindness for Our Community Campaign. These 4th grade students will host a gently used toy drive ‘n swap in February.

For this drive:

• You may bring in more than 1 toy

• If possible, label your child’s name on each toy (with a post it or tape that can easily be removed)

• Some toys will be donated to BRRSD students in need. Therefore, for the swap portion of the drive, your child may only receive 1 toy

• Please understand that your child might not like toys available for the swap and therefore you would only be donating

Important Dates:

• February 1- February 10: bring in your gently used toys
• February 13: Toy Swap begins

As you may have heard by now, the Education Foundation of Bridgewater-Raritan will be the host of a fundraising/awareness raising event regarding the upcoming Referendum vote for the Bridgewater-Raritan community on Friday, February 24, at the Somerville Elks Lodge in Bridgewater.

Here is a link to the Eventbrite page for tickets:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening-out-for-education-tickets-506779349677

In addition, we have many wonderful sponsorship opportunities available:

Sponsor An Evening Out for Education – Education Foundation of Bridgewater-Raritan (edfoundbr.org)